296: How a Contract and Non-Compete Took Away Hayley Paige’s Entire Brand and Name

[00:00:00] Bree: In this episode, I had the honor of interviewing Hayley Paige. Hayley is a talented wedding dress designer that you may have heard about, whether it's because you've been a bride and love the wedding industry like I do, or if you were a fan of the show, Say Yes to the Dress. She has been on there multiple times.

She has dressed countless brides and icons like Carrie Underwood. Oh my goodness. Well, you may have heard of her from there or because of her legal battle that prevented her from using her own name. Yes, she could not use her birth name, Haley Page. And she could also not design dresses. It was all taken away from her, but it has now been settled in a very long legal battle, and we get to talk about what it looks like coming on the other side of that, how she has taken care of herself, and how she has taken care of herself.

Through going something crazy like that. And we talk about how this all relates to showing up on social media, protecting our creativity, and also protecting ourselves as creatives. She recently spoke to the Senate. She was asked to speak there about non competes. And so she has just taken something that has been really, really challenging and Um, I'm going to be talking about how she had her craft and her passion taken away from her to now being on the other side of it and not only winning her legal battle, but being able to talk about it and share with others along the journey and help prevent this happening to others in the future.

It's a really fun episode, one that I think is going to really inspire all of you as you're listening. So, Let's get started.

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Hi, Hailey. Welcome to the show. Thank you so much for being here. Hey, thanks for having me. Oh my gosh, I, I just can't believe we're chatting and we're on the other side of this insanely horrible storm that you survived and how are you feeling? And you know, I, I want to talk about, you know, how you're feeling now and you know, Really?

Like, what helped you get through that? Because girl, you went through it. Yes, I feel

[00:03:20] Hayley Paige: so energized and relieved. You know, it's such a cliche after going through a litigation, it can be very draining, but I'm really just so forward focused and ready to get back out there and carry the excitement and joy and momentum forward.

I feel like I've had such a great support system and that's something I just, you know, won't take for granted. Think very much ahead of what's ahead of me.

[00:03:48] Bree: Oh, good. Oh my gosh. Well, I imagine that like, you know, self care mental wellness is something that you really probably had to like hyper focus on while going through this.

And like, you're still even going through it, creative at heart and like wanting to create, wanting to share. And we'll talk a little bit in a few minutes about just how you like, kind of channel that creativity, even when you were like, you know, roadblocks in a lot of ways, but like, how did you take care of yourself?

Mental health? I mean, we're talking to, you know, our audience is full of like bloggers, creatives, influencers who are forward facing to an audience constantly, and that can be really draining. So with so many eyes on you and with so much pressure on you, what are things that you do to like, take care of yourself?

[00:04:36] Hayley Paige: I feel like it's really good to pay attention to things outside of your craft that help you stay focused. For me, physical activity and exercise, going on long walks, kind of sets the right tone for my day, and that's something I prioritize in the mornings just to stay focused. Feel like I'm making progress.

You know, they say to make your bed because it's like the first step of some form of progress. Right? So I see doing those little extra self care things as a way to help me show up better for my craft. And I think a lot of your audience agrees that you can get stuck in these ruts and you can feel. the setbacks or these moments that just feel like a big misstep, but to hold on to your, you know, excitement and enthusiasm for actually creating, no matter how you're expressing it, is a really big picture view.

And we can get really lost in the weeds and in all these little specifics and distractions. And so if you can kind of stay a little more big picture at times, um, when you're feeling overwhelmed. I feel like that's helpful.

[00:05:38] Bree: Yeah. Like losing that creative spark, I feel like is so easy when you're just like in the thick of it.

And like, there's so much going on, right? Like as entrepreneurs, you know, we have so many things on our plate, right? So many things that we're juggling so many things that we have to deal with and work on 20 different things. It seems like at one time. So what do you do to like, kind of, you know, help yourself stay creative, whether it's designing, filming a reel, like create, whatever you're creating, like, how do you help yourself?

Maybe when you're feeling like, Oh, I kind of just don't feel like creating today.

[00:06:15] Hayley Paige: Oh, exactly. I think to get bombarded with some So many visuals, especially on social media. And when you go on and you're kind of doom scrolling, it's inevitable that you feel overwhelmed or that you're not doing enough. And then you start to compare like, Oh, I need to create more reels or I need to do, you know?

And it's. It's such a hard thing to really quantify because when you don't post, like, it's not like somebody's thinking about why isn't she posting, you know? And so like, I think that's a pressure we actually put on ourselves a lot. And so it's good to really check yourself, take inventory. And when you're having those moments where you just.

Kind of feel like there's so much to do and you don't even know where to begin or how to prioritize I tend to go for the low hanging fruit like okay. What's something I can actually do right now. That's really simple that I feel like is on brand in the sense of like, this is from me and it's easy. I try to do that because you can really get lost in the hamster wheel of content.

And then you can sometimes trade your integrity for exposure on social media, where it feels like, Oh gosh, I have to force something, or I have to do something that maybe doesn't feel that real for me. And so I try to avoid those drops.

[00:07:30] Bree: Yeah. So, okay. So now I'm so curious, like whenever you were hit with everything you were hit with and you're still wanting to be creative, what did you do?

I know you like, I mean, we can see the shoes behind you literally, like if anybody's watching the video, we can see the shoes. Like, did it take you a minute to like, I mean, I'm sure it, I'm Had to have like to regroup and to channel that creativity into somewhere else rather than just letting it kind of like go stagnant.

How did you, you know, what kind of pushed you to be like, all right, I got to do something with this.

[00:08:02] Hayley Paige: Well, I definitely felt a sense of accountability and like really thoughtful responsibility because all these incredible women and followers and friends were Encouraging me, you know, and they really believed that.

Okay. Like what else are we going to do in this space? And so I really refocused on what I could do as opposed to oh, what's been taken or what am I not allowed to do? I didn't want to dwell too much on that. And so I did some experimental work, you know, I thought about Well, I could potentially go into like the influencer space more and start, you know, creating more video, or I could do, you know, more artsy things with painting and illustration.

And, um, I think I really enjoyed the texture and the shaping of building a product. And while wedding dress design is very specific and there's a lot of tailoring and hand craftsmanship that goes into it, there is some transferable creation in making a shoe. And so I found a natural attraction to that process.

And while I had never done shoemaking before, I did give myself a little grace and learning that. And. I feel like it gave me a strong sense of purpose, but it also was a product that had a sentimental value because in that moment, I was like, okay, I need to move forward. Right. Because you feel so stuck when you're in litigation.

And so I was like, what is going to move me forward? You know, my feet are walking out of here, you know, like, what can I do? And I'm like, well, I can put some fabulous shoes on the feet. So it, you know, it actually felt like a very It just made sense to me in my brain. And then I had a lot of fun with the design process.

So, and I think a lot of times when you're pivoting your career like that, there's a ton of doubt, right? And that like, am I going to be any good in this space? And you do have to realize that you're starting behind, you know, you're not. starting where everybody else is. And so you do have to have a wherewithal, like a situational wherewithal of what stage you are in your process so that you can give yourself a chance to get good at it.

Right. And like, no, that it's going to, there's a learning curve there and it's going to continue throughout your whole career. So that's something I kind of kept in mind.

[00:10:11] Bree: Oh, for sure. And I mean, especially like, I mean, everything is in our face with social media that it's so easy to feel like I'm behind, everybody's ahead of me, like feeling a lot of that imposter syndrome.

Right? Like how, what advice like do you have for anybody that's, I, I feel like you could either, you can be starting out or you can experience posture syndrome like where you're at currently, like what's, what's helps you deal with that and what advice do you give to others that are feeling that?

[00:10:41] Hayley Paige: I feel like a lot of creators and influencers experience the same level of doubt and awkwardness in filming content and creating things.

And it's just as any form of art, you know, you're making it and you're putting it out into the world. And there's a reception to that, right? Or a reaction. And we all hope for a very positive reaction, but. In a sense, it, it is very much a vulnerability and I consider imposter syndrome healthy because there's a bit of grounding to it where it's okay to kind of question yourself sometimes and do a trial and error and some things aren't gonna work, right?

Like not every piece of content is going to hit well and that's just kind of part of the process. But I do feel like I try to avoid. Scenarios where I'm actually chasing what somebody wants to see from me, because then I feel like I'm going into areas where maybe I'm actually not the best at that. And so I try to pay attention.

Like I love sketching and I love creating things. And sometimes I don't feel very comfortable being in front of the camera. Like some days I just don't feel like it. Right. And so rather than forcing myself to do some of those things that might feel extra awkward at times, I lean into where I feel the flow.

So I'm like, actually, I love this moment. I'm going to share this. And so it's kind of good to like, listen to yourself in those moments, and you know, push yourself here and there, but I feel like, you know, you kind of have to get your own rhythm and a formula that works for you, and Put blinders up on some of the noise that can feel really distracting.

[00:12:24] Bree: How do you kind of balance that with like, okay, this is what I want to do versus like, you know, this is what I think my audience wants from me. Right. Cause we're always like, okay, I want to give my audience what they want and I want things to perform yet. You know, where, where, how do you figure out that balance?

I feel like it can be really tricky sometimes.

[00:12:46] Hayley Paige: It definitely is tricky. I guess sometimes what I think about is where my confidence is found, you know, and so for me, I have kind of learned actually going through like a period where I was only designing dresses, you know, for a really long time, and then I was unable to do that, and so I was going into a new territory, and I wanted to show some of the process in, you know, a career reinvention or a pivot because it's good to kind of share as you're building.

It's one thing to share when you're on the other side and you're like, Oh, it was a success. So now I can share all my secrets. But when you're actually going through it, I think your mindset is a little bit different. And sometimes you can actually find a little bit more to relate to in those moments, especially with a community.

Uh, so that's like a really good thing to think about. in your process is that it, it doesn't actually have to be perfect and you don't have to be like super successful to contribute and have value to your audience. But I think where we sometimes can get particularly stuck is when we are trying to replicate what somebody else is doing.

Cause I try to avoid that when I feel like, Oh, I really liked that piece of content. I'm going to do it the same. Right. And then we kind of get in this intimidation game where like, is this actually what, who I am and like, do I, does this come naturally to me? And maybe it does, but a lot of times I feel like that person did it better than me and I can actually do something totally different over here.

This makes sense to me. So you kind of have to have that inner dialogue with yourself so that you're not, you know, being someone else. Because when you try to do that too often, it just takes you away from the lower hanging fruit that you're probably going to be better at.

[00:14:30] Bree: Oh yeah. I mean, and it's, I feel again, like social media makes that so hard on us because it's like, Oh, well this trend is working right now or this thing is really working for that person.

So, and I want to have success, so I might as well do it.

[00:14:45] Hayley Paige: Right, right. And that can be really tough, especially with the virality that happens and everybody, you know, wants a viral video or a moment for metrics to go up. But a lot of it actually doesn't really translate into a monetization or into something that's adding value to your business.

That's not always the case, you know, so it's, it's just really important as social media evolves to kind of pay attention to your footprint. And one other thing that I've kind of noticed is in the very beginning, I felt like Instagram was so different, the way you could show up and what you could share and, you know, It felt a lot more organic and now it's like high production in that it requires so much of your effort to make it look effortless, you know, and so like, because of that demand, it's really unique because people want this like, Oh, off the cuff, like, especially TikTok, you know, it's like, here I am.

I'm just giving my opinion. But really, it took, like, hours to make that video. And so, you don't see that part of it and the work that goes into it. And so, I think when you're going to spend time in doing something, you do want it to ultimately add value to, you know, the message you're trying to deliver.

Whether, whether you're an entertainer or whether you've got, you know, a great product or you're giving advice, you know, what that. Commonality and value and mission that you're bringing to social media is still there at the core. So yeah, it can be really tricky and just a lot of work. People don't realize how much goes, I think, into it that aren't content creators or influencers.

[00:16:22] Bree: Right. I do love that you said though, you know, like sharing the process and with you jumping into designing shoes and sharing just like what you're learning. And I feel like, yes, we want everything to be. Perfect and beautiful and to be an expert as soon as we dive in, but there's something vulnerable and super authentic and relatable when we can share, like, this is where I'm starting.

Right. Because so many other people that just, like, sometimes I envy other people that just like get to consume social media and don't then have this brain going of like, Oh, I need to create this type of real. Right. Like, Oh. What is, what is that like? That must be kind of cool. Um, you know, like creating for those people that are just like, Oh, I'm just on here to have fun and consume.

And wow, she's just like me and learning this new thing and starting this account. Like how fun and relatable is that for somebody as well to go along with you on the journey?

[00:17:21] Hayley Paige: I really enjoy social media because I I feel like it's a way for me to kind of show up when I want and how I want, but I also feel like there is some discretion that I've learned over the years in not just jumping into any conversation, right?

And not just jumping on any viral trend or anything that everyone is doing because I think the more that you see similarities in what influencers are doing or what kind of mastermind programs and everything starts to kind of look the same in, in my mind. And when that happens, I see that there's an opportunity to do something different, you know, like for your page to be a little bit different than everyone else's, you know?

And so I kind of look at it that way because Otherwise you, you tend to get lost in the masses. And then again, it feels like you're kind of chasing the idea of what content you want to put out there. And I also feel like for me, because I am actually a product builder and designer first, more than a content creator.

I have to remember how I'm spending my time too, because it's probably better for me to spend time working on a new product than it is to be developing a real and something that goes out there. And even though they're both important, like you kind of have to manage that time. And so that's something else that I try to share too, with people that just look for advice and how to, you know, Grow their brand on social media.

It's like, well, you, you definitely want your visibility and you want this great community, but you don't want to get so stuck in the metrics and the numbers of it, but that's like where all your focus is going. Cause you still have this business over here and quality control and inventory management and a development season to get in.

And so there's, there's a lot of work that goes into that. And so I also think coming from a place where I was. Just a designer and, you know, like a personality to running my own business. I now have both sides to look at of like small business running your content creating, and then. Designer and content creating.

And it's, it's really interesting to see like, well, over here, I was able to really specialize, whereas here, like I have to be in a lot of places at once, you know, and maybe I'm not the best multitasker, you know? So you kind of learn that as you go, but I'm hoping to weave somehow. I don't know. We'll figure it

[00:19:35] Bree: out.

Well, no, I mean, that speaks directly to our audience because what I always say is I'm like, you know, don't put all of your eggs in like, Social media, like don't just go all in on like TOK. Like you, that's not a sustainable business, right? Like we need to have our own thing, like have a blog, have an email list.

And then, you know, now I coach people where it's like, this is great, but this is a lot to manage of like, Oh, I have to like run the business and create the content that's going to like last and help the business grow while also being. Visible. It's a lot of things to manage. Tastemaker Conference is the premier food blogger conference and community for content creators.

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We're going to have a booth there for Thrive all set up so we will get to chat in person. I'm so excited. So you guys make sure you go snag a ticket and I'll see you there.

[00:21:25] Hayley Paige: The scale. Has kind of morphed in, in ways to reach your customer. Cause obviously social media is very helpful, helpful for visibility, but it only goes so far and you are at the mercy of an algorithm.

And if you're not really paying to play where you can actually compete with these bigger companies that are throwing much more More into their digital marketing. It's really hard to compete with that. And so what happens when everybody becomes SEO, you know, optimized and everybody is using AI and everybody's using all these tools and auto generators and all this stuff, well, everything starts to look the same again, you know?

And so like, then people have to go back to like individual selling and, you know, cold calling, and it's just really interesting, but there's always an opportunity. To find your way. And I think it's always good to pay attention to that. Like when everybody's doing the same thing there, there's an opportunity to do something slightly different and maybe get a bigger return on your investment.

[00:22:25] Bree: Oh my gosh. Okay. That has me wanting to know, like, for you, I mean, I would love to just, can we go back to like the beginning stages of you being like brand new baby wedding dress designer and going into this and having this passion and this, Talent going into a field where you're not the only wedding dress designer.

And you know, like you're a newbie in this, like, what was that like for you just with starting to create and develop and build your own name in an industry like that,

[00:23:00] Hayley Paige: that was really early days for me. And I had a lot of. energy and gumption into just really, really working hard. And the advice that I generally give to anybody that's starting out in an industry is to just get your reps in.

So the idea of just. Doing as much work as you possibly can. I think the reps and putting in the numbers and the hours help because it, you build credibility, you learn how to do things more efficiently. You just, you learn by practice. And I, maybe that came from years of gymnastics where you're like, when you're trying to learn a skill, you do reps, you know, and you build on a skill to get it.

And so for work for me in understanding dress design and what's going to work and how to source and develop, you know, you just, you Keep putting in the numbers. And I think that is something that really helped me find my aesthetic and find my way. And, you know, going back to that time, I feel like I wasn't actually as focused on what other companies were doing.

I was just really, really focused on doing my work and studying hard, you know, and like getting my, My pieces out there, right?

[00:24:15] Bree: That's so good though. That's what you needed to do. And that's what I feel like that, that advice right there applies to everyone, right? No matter what industry you're going into, social media, art, whatever, like getting those reps in and focusing on your craft.

Sorry. I just got excited there. Like, yes,

[00:24:33] Hayley Paige: it's true. And like really honing in and specializing. Is such a beautiful thing because when you really love doing it and you don't mind putting in the work and the hours On the days where you feel burned out or you feel unmotivated You're still gonna do it because of that you've got that innate, you know excitement for it or when you experience a setback I mean in going through what i've been through I think some people might be disenchanted, you know, and there are moments for me, but ultimately like my first love is wedding dress design.

Right. And so like, I can't wait to get back to that, which is amazing because a lot of times, you know, as much as I'm going to continue shoes and other things, you know, I, I definitely still have that love and passion for that first craft. So I, but I think what's interesting is like the mentality that I had in the younger years of just getting those reps in and all that stuff, that is something I still find very important.

So even for going into shoes, you know, I kind of carried that same formula there, but I couldn't make up possibly, you know, the eight to 10 years I worked on Bridal Design in shoes yet, of course. But then I think when you. When you mature a little bit in your craft, it's important to not get complacent.

And so I actually started to turn more to other brands and fashion companies and look to elevate myself. And so to see competition as a very healthy thing and not as like this enemy or like, Oh, what are they doing? You know, like not focus on it on the sense of like, Oh, what are they doing? I need to do that.

It's more like. Wow. They did that spectacularly. And that inspires me to want to make sure I'm still moving the ball forward with my brand and not getting comfortable.

[00:26:18] Bree: So it, it, right. Oh my gosh, no, I love that. I've been thinking about that lately and I feel like I mentioned it to one of our in our group coaching call of just how like, yeah, I didn't say putting in the reps, but I was like, relating it to I've been picking up art again.

And And how like just having that imposter syndrome of like, Oh my God, it's really bad right now. Like it's ugly. I haven't done it in years, you know, like it takes time and takes that process, but like how we relate that to anything we're creating, whether it's a blog post or an email or something for social media, like how, you know, if we look back five years ago at our first Instagram post or whatever that we thought was amazing, we're like, Oh my God, that was so cringe.

Right. But I love that you said putting in those reps. I think that is such great advice to just like, just keep going. Just know that like, you know, of course we want everything to perform, right? We want everything we put out there to just like take off and be amazing. But there's something to be said about like, just keep going.

Yeah. And just keep going. Just keep putting in the work.

[00:27:26] Hayley Paige: The turnover now is so fast. You know, like, for how much effort and time and beauty you put into content.

[00:27:35] Bree: You know,

[00:27:35] Hayley Paige: it's like, it gets literally a 24 hour. Moment, you know, and then it's like onto the next, you know, so it's great when it goes really well And when it doesn't it's kind of like okay on to the next, you know, it's it's like I you're up Yeah, only as good as your next collection That's something I always kind of told myself and I almost feel like that formula works for social media so you don't get too caught up in your your Criticism of yourself and and what you're putting out there, you know Just kind of move on to the next thing because people move on really fast these days so

[00:28:02] Bree: Oh, I know.

Pretty good. I guess. It's wild. Yes, and yet we don't. We like hold on to it. Right? Like, oh, that's so good. Yeah. Like just. Yeah. It's okay to just keep going. Oh, so good. Oh my gosh. Okay. Well, I want to talk about how, like, you just keep going and just blow me away, um, because I can't let this episode, you know, go on without, you know, Talking about how you spoke to the Senate about crazy non competes in your beautiful pink suit.

And I'm just like, who is this angel? Like what is happening girl? I'm so, I'm so impressed by you. Can you tell us like, what is all that about? Like, tell us about how you are, you know, why you spoke and like about the non competes and what you're fighting for. Like, Tell us more.

[00:28:54] Hayley Paige: For sure. It came as a huge honor and surprise because I was actually invited by Senator Warren.

She slid into my DMs and, you know, had basically said, I've, I've. That alone,

[00:29:06] Bree: I'd be like,

[00:29:06] Hayley Paige: I've peaked, I'm done. I mean, I feel like anybody, you know, when you look in your DMs See like a certain whoever, you know, and you're just like, wait, what? Like, yes, hello, . You know, it's, it's kind of shocking. Yes. Cool. And you know, I, for me, I am, I'm not a huge politics person in that I think I, I have a lot to say in, uh, dress design and that's kind of where I always feel the most confident and joyful.

And so that's mainly where I stay. But in going through what I have, and I was very public about it and sharing. It allowed me to connect to a lot of people, especially through trauma, or especially through these kinds of career setbacks where they maybe signed a contract they shouldn't have, they didn't know how it could be interpreted.

And in my case, While I thought my contract had a non, a non compete that was within the scope of my employment role, which would be perfectly reasonable to not compete with the very company you're trying to add value. It was later to be a extension, a non compete, and then an extra five year non compete regardless of the name I use.

So I actually couldn't practice my trade. And I think it was. My story is an extreme example, and because of that, because it was being upheld in the Southern District of New York, I think it, it helped shine a light on when these non competes can actually be really detrimental. And so I just wanted to focus on that, and also speak on, this isn't just about me, and oh, poor me, I can't design dresses.

But it did impact the industry. It impacted brides that wanted a specific dress from a specific designer. And it kind of created this residual stress within the industry. And so in getting the opportunity to share my story and be an example for banning non competes with the FTCs ruling, that's hopefully going to pass.

You know, it was, it was a great privilege, but it was also extremely cathartic for me because one. You know, I finally got to tell my story start to finish because many people that were confused by it, you know, it's like here it is start to finish, but two, it also hopefully gave a voice for people that do not get a rainbow at the end of their storm, you know, like I was lucky to have a settlement that was very productive and not everyone gets that, you know, so many people that go into litigation are financially drained are, you know, the, you're testing the.

absolute limits of somebody's psychology, you know, and so it's, it's a lot to go through that and to have the financial resources. I mean, for me, I tapped out a long time ago, but I had had a legal team, unlike any, what I've ever heard, you know, they stayed in it with me. And so I was really happy to be able to use it, hopefully to create a positive.

change.

[00:31:58] Bree: Oh, that is so amazing. So can you tell us about non competes and creatives and like what advice you have for them? And, you know, you know, we talk about like with our audience, like they're getting contracts all the times. Usually the brands want to send their own contracts when it's something like, you know, them creating content for them for Social media for blogs, whatever it may be, and there always seems to be a little something funny that they try to like sneak in.

So what is your advice for like Azure in that field. Like, what do you look for?

[00:32:33] Hayley Paige: I definitely think it's going to be dependent on what happens with legislation, because if the FTC is ban on non competes actually passes, it's amazing because even if an employer sneaks it in, they, they cannot weaponize it for litigation if it's illegal, but if it doesn't pass.

The problem is is that then it's litigated and like then the employer can actually use it in Litigation and say let's see where we go with this non compete even if the court agrees, okay It's not upheld you still have to spend all this money to fight for your right to work So I think my answer to this would be dependent on actually what happens on September 4th and with this FTC ruling.

So in the interim, when you're looking at those contracts, know that if a non compete is in there, it is likely it wouldn't be upheld. However, if it's there, it can be litigated. And unless the law is in place that it's banned. That's tricky, because even if you end up winning, or you're right, that you're allowed to work, it's gonna cost you how much to litigate it.

So, that's the problem. That's like, it's like if you give a mouse a cookie, The mouse is going to want a glass of milk. You know, it's like, it's like kind of like that metaphor, but you know, it can be really tricky. So it's, it's always good to try to avoid any non competent language. And if it has to be in there, you know, there, there should be terms that you are really, really comfortable with where you're either getting paid.

Or there's a huge benefit to you, because even in my scenario, like years ago when I was 25 years old, I may have agreed to something back then that seemed great. Where years later it's outdated, you know, it's like a contract almost every contract almost needs an upgrade like a software does Because things change circumstances change like what value you're bringing to the company changes And so it's just really good to think about you know, who you are signing that contract right now might not be who you are Five to 10 years down the road.

And so you just don't want to put yourself in a position where you're negotiating with yourself or you're outperforming your contract and you're unable to get out of it. You're unable to practice your trade, you know? So it's, that's part of the reason I try to tell my story and be as transparent as possible and also speak on the fact that my case is very unusual.

It was very extreme. And so it's very unlikely that that would happen, but it could, it happened to me. So that's why I'm okay sharing

[00:35:10] Bree: it fully. I'm so glad you do. And, you know, through all of this as well, just to kind of like, okay, because I could talk to you forever and it's already like 30 minutes. I'll try to like wrap this up, but I would love to hear about the foundation you started and like what it is and why you started it.

[00:35:26] Hayley Paige: Yes, the foundation was started from this experience in that for me, I didn't have a lot of resources going back to who I was at 25. I just feel like I could have benefited from a nonprofit that focuses on providing pro bono attorneys or referrals to pro bono attorneys or, you know, low bono or however they say it, you know, more affordable representation.

And then also just general curriculum and story based content that helps. You conceptualize what can happen if you agree and, and don't give yourself a good due diligence period prior to securing your big opportunities. And so the, a girl, you might know foundation, which is inspired by the phrase I went by when I could not use my birth name in any business or commerce, or even to publicly identify.

I went as a girl, you might know for a while. And so it was just a fun kind of, uh, You know, way to identify, but then I used it for the foundation name because it could be any girl or person you might know that is in this kind of scenario. And so it's good to have advocates. It's good to know that there are people that actually do want to see you, like, get there and succeed and not have to compromise too much.

And so that's, that's really, you know, the three branches of it is providing the referrals. Providing good content and story based content of what can happen, even success stories as well. And then, uh, like a negotiation curriculum, because I'm somebody that, I consider myself a pretty bad negotiator back then and my skill has developed on that, which is great because I feel like That means anyone can become a good negotiator.

And then the third is a grant. So we actually provide financial, a financial grant for a creator once a year that can help for starting their business or protecting their IP, anything like that.

[00:37:17] Bree: That's amazing. Is, so is that something that our audience of content creators and influencers should utilize and you can go and check out?

[00:37:25] Hayley Paige: Absolutely. We have an application program that starts. Actually, we're probably going to open it in September, so it's just around the corner and you can just apply for the grant and it's just a really easy application and yeah, last year we awarded it to a young girl named Emily Baggerly and she is a dancer, a ballet dancer, but also does website design.

So yeah, you never know, you get some money, honey.

[00:37:50] Bree: Oh my gosh. Okay. All right. Thank you so much for just sharing all of this and chatting so long with me and sharing with our audience. Where should they go and follow you for all the latest on you and everything you have going on? My pleasure!

[00:38:06] Hayley Paige: I am on Instagram mostly, so, at MissHaleyPage.

And then I have all the glitters on the gram. A girl you might know foundation and she is Chabal's have a lot of accounts, uh, which is great, but a lot to maintain as we already chatted about. And then we're mostly an e commerce business for sheish of all. com. And a girl you might know foundation. org is our 501c3 nonprofit.

That's where you can find the grant application, but that's pretty much the scope of it. And I'm hopefully going to be getting back out there with wedding dresses soon by, you know, 2025, so that'll be fun. Very exciting and just very anticipated. That's so

[00:38:46] Bree: soon.

[00:38:47] Hayley Paige: My mind, yes. Maybe we'll do matching, you know, dresses and shoes and bags and all the things.

Oh my goodness.

[00:38:55] Bree: I cannot wait. I'm so excited for you and just so relieved that you are on the other side of this and so happy for you.

[00:39:02] Hayley Paige: Thank you. Thank you for your support. It means a lot.

[00:39:05] Bree: Of course. Thank you so much for being here. All right, you guys, we'll let you go. Have a great rest of your day and we'll see you guys back here in a few days with a new episode.

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